


Cold as Ice

by Icecat62



Category: due South
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-17
Updated: 2014-09-17
Packaged: 2018-02-17 17:38:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,238
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2317814
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Icecat62/pseuds/Icecat62
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Fraser and Diefenbaker meet.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Cold as Ice

**Author's Note:**

> Orphan Challenge - Anna's orphan, but I changed one thing for this version. I'll try a warm water version later, I already have an idea for it.  
> Originally posted to RedSuitsYou@yahoogroups.com - May 2002.

The water surged, churned, and slapped him under. He choked, lungs slowly filling. Clawed. Fought. Desperate for air. Effervescent bubbles, kicked up by the living water, tickled and mocked him. He kicked. Broke free. Air surged into him like hope and answered prayers. He laughed in relief. But the water was not finished.

His laughter was cut short by the numbing cold. The relief was short lived. He had broken through the surface only to have the levity of the situation crush any hope of survival.

Struggling to stay afloat, his frozen hands grasped and clawed at the shifting ice. Each movement getting slower as the cold sapped the warmth and life from his body. He was trying to think...would they find his body or would a seal come along and make him part of its evening meal?

Without warning the water around him splashed and churned. He could barely feel the pressure of teeth gripping his arm, pulling at him. At first he thought it was a seal, but seals didn't have long silver fur and ears tipped in black. It was the wolf.

Ever since he had saved it from the mineshaft, this same wolf had followed him on the trail. He had watched it grow from a pup to a young adult. Every night as he sat by the fire, eating his supper, the wolf would come into his camp and settle across the flaming embers, the way a dog would sit with it's master.

He would give the wolf food. For some strange reason, he began talking to the animal like he was a human and was quite surprised when it actually seemed to be paying attention to him.

Now the wolf had him by the arm and was dragging him toward the edge of the ice flow. Even half frozen to death, Fraser was amazed. The wolf was saving him from certain death. Repaying his debt.

Choking and sputtering, he clawed his way out of the water, his hands grasping around the ruff of the wolf and pulling him up and out along with him.

Falling backward, he took deep gulping breaths, then his body began to shiver. His lupine companion shook out his fur, sending sparkles of water and ice flying about. He pawed at his ears for a moment, whimpering softly.

Coming over to where Fraser lay supine on the ice, he nuzzled him gently. Without thinking, Fraser reached up and patted the animal on the head before passing out. With a soft bark, the wolf nuzzled the unconscious figure again before running off toward the shoreline.

*******************

He woke to find himself wrapped in furs, the warmth of a blazing fire roared beside him. Looking about, Fraser blinked sleepily. A figure made its way over to him. A young Inuit woman smiled down at him, asked him how he felt, was he hungry? Before he could respond, she disappeared and was back, handing him a bowl of hot broth.

Helping Fraser to sit, she urged him to eat. As the coverlet slid back, Fraser quickly reached down to cover himself. The woman giggled. Apparently she was the one to have undressed him.

As he ate the soup, she motioned across the fire. There lay the wolf, curled on top of another fur and an empty bowl lay beside him.

From what the woman told him, the wolf had come to her door, barking and jumping. At first she had wanted to kill the animal. They didn't need a wolf hanging around their camp, chasing away the seals.

There was something about the way it had acted, something unusual. Ignoring everything her father had ever told her about wolves, she followed the animal and that was how she had found him.

Giggling, she pointed at his skin. He must have been a gift from the local spirits to her because she had never seen a man so white before.

Running a hand over his chest, Fraser looked into her face, noticing for the first time the long dark hair. The way it framed her face and hung down over her breasts as she leaned forward when talking to him. The look of impish mischief in her brown eyes.

His life had been saved due to the efforts of a wolf and a young Inuit girl. She appeared to be close to his own age, but from looking around the cabin and at her manner of dress, he knew she wasn't married.

The way she looked at him made him realize that he would be getting to know her better if he stayed. Much better. It had been a few months since he had been in the company of a woman and he found himself looking forward to the prospect of 'thanking' her for rescuing him.

For now his attentions focused on the wolf, his carnal needs would have to wait. He looked in wonder at the silver furred animal, not knowing why the wolf had chosen him. All he did free it from the mine. Any other animal would have run off. Not this one.

It was like the wolf had heard his thoughts as it raised its head to look back at him over the flames. Without even thinking, he talked to the animal. "Thank you for saving me. I am in your debt."

When the wolf yipped back at him, Fraser's eyebrows raised a fraction. Did the wolf just say thank you? No. It couldn't be. He could understand and speak a multitude of languages, but talking to a wolf? It was utterly ridiculous!

The woman took the now empty bowl from Fraser's hands and set it aside. "He must be your spirit guide. You talk with him."

"I...he saved my life."

Turning toward her, he gave her a serious look. "I owe you my life as well."

Nodding, she smiled coyly at him. "You can thank me later...when you have fully recovered. For now...you should rest." Placing a hand on his chest, she gently pushed him back and pulled the fur up to his chin. Stoking the fire, she left the room.

Peering through the flames, the wolf was smirking at him.

"No, I'm not going to mate with her."

He swore the wolf was now laughing at him.

The bond that had been between them before was like a silken thread. Now Fraser could physically feel it, like a rope or a chain. They were linked. Deep in his heart, he knew that he and the wolf would never part company until death.

Propping himself up on an arm, he smiled back at the wolf. He needed a name. Something that would suit him. Why the name popped in his head he didn't know, but it fit.

"Diefenbaker."

The wolf's ears pricked and he raised his head to stare across the flames at Fraser. With a short huff of approval, the animal lay back on the fur and closed his eyes.

It was settled. Diefenbaker it was.

Wrapping the fur around his body, Fraser closed his eyes and let himself drift off to sleep. In his dream, he saw a caribou frozen in ice, surrounded by blood. The body of his father was trapped in the ice with it. The nightmare continued...he was living in a large city...in America.

His body shivered in response. Thank God it was only a dream.

END


End file.
